Fishplate



G. W-. HANNER.

FISHPLATE Dec. 19,1922.

ORIGINAL FILED AUG. l2. 1920.

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ll lil itil l Q FISHPLATE Original application filed lugust 19g,

To (ZU fio/1.0m may concern.:

Be it known that l, Gnonor. W. l'lANNnn, citizen of the United States,residing,` at Lordsburg, in the county of Hidalgo and State of NewMexico, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Fishplates,of which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved 'lish plate for connecting themeeting` ends of railway rails, being a division of my application forrailway tie and rail fastening, filed August 12, 1920, Serial No.$3,081, Pat-ent 1,403,027, Jan. lo, 192e.

Among,` other objects, the invention seeks to provide a fish plate whichmay be readily produced and which will be adapted to coact with thetrack ties for holding the plate against longitudinal movement so thateX- pansion and contraction of the rails will be equalized therebetween.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fish plate which,while being particularly adapted for use in connection with thestructure shown in my prior application referred to, will also beadapted for general use.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a fish platewhich will coact with the track ties at the `ioints between the rails,to prevent creeping of the ties.

@ther and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is fragmentary plan view showinp; section of track, asillustrated in my prior application previously referred to, andillustratinpi a pair of the fish plates applied,

Figure 2 a fragmentary side elevation showing; the manner in which thelugs of the plate are disposed to coact with the side walls of the trackties, and

Figure Il is a perspective view one of the (ish plates in detail.

viltderring now more particularly to the drawing, l have illustrated myimproved [ish plate in connection with a section of railway trackembodying' ties and rail fasteners exemplified in my pending`application previously identified and, for convenience, l shall `lirstgenerally describe the tie and fastener of the parent application. Thetie is preferably formed of metal and, as will be observed, isconstructed with a bottom wall 10 having; spaced parallel side walls 11rising therefrom. Extending VbeshowingF V192e,l Serial No. 403,081.1922. Divided and this application iiled April 7, 1921.

Patent`1\lo.l1,403,02k7, dated January 10,

Serial ANo. 459,423.

tween said side walls are suitable chair plates upon which rest. therails as conventionally illustrated at 12 and formed on the side wallsare flanges 13 engaging over the base flanges of the rails at the outersides thereof. Extending between the side walls in spaced parallelrelation to the flanges 13 are stirrups or loops 14 and extendingthrough these loops are clamps 15 cooperating at their inner ends withan adjusting bolt 16 rising from the bottom wall 10 of the tie, a shoe17 fitting over the inner end portions of the clamps. The clamps serveto rigidly bind the rails upon the ties. Coming now more particularly tothe subject of the present invention, l employ, at the meeting` ends ofthe rails, companion fish plates 18. As shown in detail in Figure 3,these plates are provided with spaced openings vfor receiving the usualbolts connecting the rails at their ends and formed on the plates at.their lower margins are medial laterally directed stop lues 19.` Thelugs 19 `are preferably integral with the plate bodies, being bent toextend at substantially rightangles thereto and, as will be noted, theplate bodies are slit upwardly from their lower edges at the side edgesof the lugs so that the lugs may be turned laterally. ills best shown inFigure Q, the stop lugs 19 lit snugly between the confronting` sidewalls of adjacent ties. At their ends, the fish plates carry, at theirlower margins, laterally directed stop lugs 2O aliuingj with the lugs19, the lugs 20 beingy also preferably formed integral upon the platebodies. As in the instance of the lugs 19, the plate bodies are slitupwardly from their lower edges, at the inner side edges of the lugs 20,so that these lugs may be readily turned laterally, the lugs 20,however, being` of considerably less width than the lugs ,19.

The lugs E20 are. as also best shown in Figure Q, disposed to confrontthe remote side walls of the ties at the joint between the rails, Thelugs 19 and Q0 will. therefore, cooperate with the side walls of saidties for holding' the fish plates against longitudinal movement so thatany expansion or contraction occurring in the rails will be equalizedtherebetween. Furthermore. the lugs 19 will act to prevent. the tiesfrom moving toward each other while the lugs 2O will serve to preventthe ties from spreading so that creeping of the ties supporting the railjoint will also be prevented. l accordingly provide a isli plate ot'highly eilicient design and. as will now be seen, a lisli plate which7while being particularly adapted ttor use in connection with a tie oi'the character illustrated, may also be employed in connection withordinary track ties now in common use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

As a new article of manufacture, a isli plate iinzlruliiig,- a flat bodyprovided at its lower edge with lateral outwardl7 bent stop lugscomprising terminal lugs and a third elongated medially disposed lug,the lower margin of the plate being unobstructed between said lugs andbeing slit. upwardly at the inner ends of the lugs to permit lateralbending thereof.

In testimony whereof I ail'iX my signature. 20

GEORGE w. HANNER. [je Sg

